täyttäen

Täyttäen is a Finnish non-finite verb form derived from the verb täyttää, meaning to fill or to fulfill. It functions as a present adverbial participle and is used to express an action that accompanies or enables the action of the main clause, roughly translating to “by filling” or “filling.” The subject of the participial clause is usually the same as the subject of the main clause, and the participial phrase is typically separated by a comma. The form is common in written and formal Finnish, especially in descriptive or narrative prose, and is less frequent in casual speech.

Morphology and usage: Täyttäen is formed from the verb stem täyt- with the -en ending. It differs from the -va/-vä present participle, which denotes a doer or descriptor, by instead marking the manner or means of the main action. As a present adverbial participle, täyttäen introduces a clause that provides context for the main clause rather than naming a separate subject.

Examples:

- Täyttäen lasin vedellä, hän tarjosi sen vieraille. (By filling the glass with water, he offered it to the guests.)

- Täyttäen lupauksensa, hän piti sanansa. (Fulfilling his promises, he kept his word.)

In everyday speech, speakers often use finite clauses or other constructions to express similar meanings, such as “kun hän täytti lupauksensa” or simply “hän täytti lupauksensa,” which may be more natural in colloquial Finnish.

See also: Finnish grammar, participles, non-finite verb forms.